Dick Van Patten

Biography

Dick Van Patten was a versatile American actor and businessman whose seven-decade career spanned numerous television roles, including the iconic patriarch Tom Bradford on Eight Is Enough. He also made notable appearances in films such as Spaceballs, Soylent Green, and Robin Hood: Men in Tights. A successful stage performer as a teenager, Van Patten co-founded Natural Balance Pet Foods and advocated for animal welfare.